The Second Yule Ball
by iDohavealife
Summary: *Now Complete* In their fifth year, Ron has finally asked Hermione to go to the Yule Ball with him. Pure HG/RW fluff, with a little HP/GW added in later chapters. Reviews are greatly appreciated!
1. Getting Ready and Remembering

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter books or the characters therein. If I could write as well as J. K. Rowling, I'd be a happy woman indeed.  
  
Hermione Granger stood in front of her mirror in the dorm room she shared with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. In less than an hour, she would be going to her second Yule Ball, and she wanted to look just right. She was very happy with her new dress robes; they were made of a beautiful silky material that was deep-purple in color and which made a lovely rustling sound when she walked. It was her hair, as usual, which was causing problems. She had used Sleekeasy's Hair Potion and had managed to tame its wild bushiness, but she just couldn't decide which style she wanted. Should she wear it up, like last year, or curl it and wear it down? "Funny", she thought, frowning at her reflection, "last year, I was nervous, but not like I am tonight. Tonight is different, and it's all because..."  
  
Her thought was interrupted by laughter from Lavender and Parvati, who had come over to stand behind her. "Hermione, aren't you ready yet?", giggled Parvati, who had, of course, started getting ready two hours before Hermione had even come up to the dorm room.  
  
"Really, Hermione, it's not like you're going to the ball with Viktor Krum this year! Why all the fuss?", added Lavender. "You're only going with Ron Weasley!"  
  
"My sister hated going to the ball with him last year! He completely ignored her! I can't believe you'd go with him, Hermione!", Parvati sneered.  
  
"Oh, and did you see those horrid dress robes of his?! You should have written to Viktor and asked him to come to the ball, Hermione." Both girls walked back to their own mirrors, still giggling and talking about how silly Ron had acted at the Yule Ball last year.  
  
Quietly, Hermione took her wand from her pocket. "Folliculitis chaoticus", she whispered, pointing the wand at Lavender and Parvati. Moments later, she heard Parvati squeal, "Lavender! What did you do to your hair?!"  
  
Lavender turned to Parvati and squealed even more loudly (if that was possible), "My hair?! What did you do to your hair?!" Both girls hurried to their own mirrors and were horrified to find that their once-elegant coiffures now looked like fright wigs.  
  
Hermione turned back to her own mirror with a small smile. Tuning out the squeals and screams of exasperation coming from her roommates as they hurriedly started re-styling their hair, she decided that she would sweep up and pin the sides of her hair with combs and curl the rest and wear it down. As she set to work, her mind went back to the day Ron had nervously asked her to the Ball....  
  
Dumbledore had announced the Ball that morning at breakfast in the Great Hall, to the squeals of most of the girls and the groans of most of the boys. Hermione hadn't been able to stop herself from glancing at Ron, hoping that maybe, this year, he wouldn't be too thick to invite her. And if he did invite her, she hoped it wouldn't be as a last resort--as much as she wanted to go with him, she would have to say no if that were the case. She had no intention of asking Viktor to accompany her--they had remained friends and still wrote to each other occasionally, but she had finally had to tell him that she didn't return his feelings. He had just recently started seeing other girls, and she was glad. Ron hadn't noticed her look, though, as he was deep in conversation with Harry and Seamus-- something about Quidditch as usual. They had gone on to class, and he had not mentioned the Ball to her at all.  
  
In the library that evening, Hermione was deeply immersed in her Potions homework (she had found that Snape's loathing for her was such that she had to always do extra work to maintain her A+ grade in his class). She didn't notice Ron nervously coming over to her table.  
  
"Er...hi, Hermione", Ron said, sliding into a chair across the table from her.  
  
"Hi, Ron", Hermione said, looking up briefly from her parchment. He sat there staring at her, so she finally stopped writing. "Do you need something?", she asked.  
  
"Umm, yeah....I wanted to ask you....umm...would you....would you...let me see your notes from Potions today?", he finished quickly, turning scarlet.  
  
"Honestly, Ron! What would you do if you didn't have me to give you my notes? You should pay more attention in class!", Hermione scolded, digging in her bag for her notes. She handed them to him and went back to her reading.  
  
"Thanks", he said weakly. He looked at the notes briefly, then took a deep breath. "Actually, Hermione....I wanted to ask you....umm...would you maybe...go the ball with me?", he almost whispered.  
  
Hermione sat very still for a moment, not sure she had heard him correctly. She finally looked up at him and saw that he was just sitting there watching her nervously. "Did you just ask me...to the ball?"  
  
He blushed even more furiously, if that was possible. "Yeah. And they only announced it this morning, so you know I'm not asking you as a last resort", he said hurriedly. "Will you go?"  
  
Hermione resisted the urge to jump across the table and hug him. "OK, Ron. Yes, I'd like to go with you." She smiled as she saw him relax and break into a grin. "As long as I'm not your last resort", she couldn't resist adding.  
  
"Good....umm...OK...well...I'd better get back to the common room. Harry's supposed to lose a game of chess to me in a bit. So...I'll see you later." Ron stammered as he stood up and hurried away.  
  
Hermione's thoughts came back to the present as she realized it was nearly time to go downstairs. She put the finishing touches on her hair and straightened her robes. Why was she so nervous? Ron was her best friend, she could talk to him about anything--well, nearly anything--she hadn't been brave enough to tell him that she was starting to have feelings for him that were decidedly more than just friendly, even after he had asked her to the ball. They hadn't really spoken about the ball since that night in the library. Things had stayed pretty normal between them, though when she thought about it, she realized they hadn't been fighting nearly as much. "But we'd probably fight all the time even if we were a married couple", she thought. "We're both too stubborn and proud to admit when we're wrong".  
  
She started toward the door to go downstairs, suppressing a smile at the sight of Parvati and Lavender both hurriedly fixing their hair. She felt a little guilty about what she had done, but hey, they had deserved it. Besides, they had just about gotten everything back into place again. She paused at the top of the stairs and took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing", she thought and started down the stairs. 


	2. First Nervous, then Speechless

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the wonderful characters or places in the Harry Potter books. Do I look like J. K. Rowling to you? Funny, I don't see any resemblance....  
  
In the Gryffindor common room, Ron Weasley nervously paced back and forth. Why had he subjected himself to this torture? Yes, he had really wanted to ask Hermione to the ball; he had been miserable the year before when she went with Krum. He couldn't stand to see her go with someone else again this year, or worse, write to Krum and invite him to accompany her. But, right now, with his stomach in knots, he wondered if it wouldn't have been better to just stay in his dorm room and avoid the whole thing. He glanced over at Harry, who was sitting on the couch--well, actually, he was crouching on the couch. He was on the very edge of the cushion, looking down at his hands which were clasped tightly between his knees. The poor guy looked as nervous as Ron felt. Ron thought back to the day Harry had told him who he'd like to ask to the ball...  
  
It had been late, and they had been alone in the common room, playing a final game of wizard's chess before going to bed. Ron was beating Harry, as usual, but for the last half hour or so, Harry had seemed very distracted.  
  
"Check, Harry", Ron said, positioning his queen to take Harry's king.  
  
"What? Oh...", Harry looked at the board, trying to find a way out of check. He took a deep breath and spoke. "Er, Ron...I need to ask you something."  
  
"Yeah?" Ron was busy studying the board, already knowing what his next moves would be, no matter what Harry did. He didn't look up.  
  
"Umm, yeah. I know who I'd like to ask to the Yule Ball, and...well...I kinda wanted to check it out with you first."  
  
Ron looked up, puzzled. Oh no--was Harry going to tell him he wanted to ask Hermione? Ron had asked her earlier this evening, but he hadn't told Harry yet. "Why would you need to check it out with me?", he asked a liitle nervously.  
  
Harry sighed. "Well, I'd like to ask...Ginny." Harry saw the look of surprise on Ron's face and continued in a rush. "You're my best friend and her big brother. I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't have a problem with it. I don't want to go with Parvati again, and I can't ask Cho this year...", he trailed off. Ron knew why Harry couldn't ask Cho. He still felt guilty about what had happened to Cedric Diggory in the final task last year, and Cho was a reminder of that. He'd been trying to get over his crush on her all year.  
  
Ron thought for a moment. How would he feel seeing Harry with Ginny? It would seem strange, but he had to admit, Ginny could go to the ball with worse people. He trusted Harry with his life, why not with his little sister? "I guess it's OK. But, if you hurt her, I'll have to kill you", he added with an evil grin. A thought occurred to him. "And no taking her into the rose bushes!", he said loudly, losing the grin.  
  
Harry smiled, relieved. "No worry about that", he laughed. "So, who are you going to invite?", Harry asked, turning back to the game.  
  
Ron blushed. "Well...I've kinda already asked somebody", he said quietly. Now it was Harry's turn to be surprised. "I asked Hermione this evening in the library."  
  
"Oh." Harry knew Ron had some unresolved feelings for Hermione, especially after last year's ball, but he was surprised that Ron had actually admitted them to himself and acted on them. "That's cool." He suddenly couldn't resist. "Umm, Ron...no taking Hermione into the rose bushes, either", he said, laughing as Ron turned an even deeper shade of scarlet.  
  
Ron's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening at the top of the stairs. He and Harry looked up to see Ginny descending the steps, looking very pretty in light blue robes, her hair swept up and piled on her head in curls. Harry took a deep breath and went to meet her at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Hi, Ginny. You look really pretty", he said, blushing (he was secretly glad he didn't turn as red as Ron usually did).  
  
"Thank you, Harry. So do you." Ginny, unlike Harry, suffered from the Weasley affliction, and she turned a brilliant crimson.  
  
Again there was the sound of a door opening, and Harry, Ginny, and Ron looked up to see Hermione coming down the stairs. Harry glanced at Ron and was mildly amused to see that his friend appeared to be having trouble breathing.  
  
Hermione stopped at the bottom of the stairs and smiled weakly at her three friends. Ron just stood there staring at her, and Harry could see that he had become temporarily speechless. He spoke first. "Hi, Hermione. You look lovely." He nudged Ron with his elbow. "Doesn't she, Ron?", he asked, pointedly.  
  
This seemed to jar Ron out of his reverie, though he still stared at Hermione. "She looks beautiful", he said quietly, almost to himself.  
  
Hermione's face lit up. "Thank you, Ron. I really like your new dress robes."  
  
Ron suddenly remembered that he had on new, dark blue robes and was extremely thankful that Fred and George had given them to him. "Thanks."  
  
They continued to just stand there and stare at one another, and Harry realized that if he didn't say something, they'd probably stand there all night. He turned to Ginny, who was trying not to giggle at her big brother's reaction. It made her forget her own nervousness a little. "We'd better go, don't you think?", he asked.  
  
This seemed to finally get Ron and Hermione's attention. They stopped staring at each other and turned to follow Harry and Ginny out the portrait hole.  
  
"Oi, Hermione", Seamus Finnigan yelled. "Where are Lavender and Parvati? Dean and I have been waiting down here forever!"  
  
Hermione couldn't help it--she started laughing. "Oh, don't worry, Seamus. They'll be down eventually", she called back to him, ducking through the portrait hole. 


	3. Dancing Close and That Slimy Git

Disclaimer: I'm not J. K. Rowling, though we are about the same age, and we're both blond. Big differences: I'm not wealthy beyond my wildest dreams, and I'm not quite the writer she is. Pity.  
  
A/N: Thank you for all the nice reviews! I know this if fluff, but hey, a little fluff is necessary to life now and then.  
  
Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione joined the mass of students streaming into the Great Hall from the entrance hall. Hermione couldn't help noticing that some of the girls were looking at Ron differently. She stole a glance at him. He did look different tonight. He had brushed his hair more neatly than usual, and of course, he was wearing new clothes which better suited his height. None of this really mattered to Hermione, though; he was Ron, and that was good enough for her.  
  
Ron had noticed that some of the boys were looking at Hermione with interest. "Bloody idiots! Don't they see how beautiful she is everyday?", he wondered. "Of course," he thought, "she's more than beautiful tonight; she's stunning." Come to think of it, he was glad the other boys hadn't noticed her before!  
  
They entered the Great Hall, which had been decorated for Christmas. Lining the walls were giant Christmas trees, covered with sparkling decorations including live doves, dancing candy canes, and ornaments that seemed to be suffused with a living light. Upon closer inspection, one saw that a tiny, glowing fairy was happily flying about inside the ornament. The front lawn once again had hundreds of fairies sitting in rosebushes (Ron blushed when he remembered Harry's comment about not taking Hermione into the rosebushes). This year, an addition had been made to the Great Hall: a large balcony had been magicked onto one side with french doors opening onto it, so that the students could go and enjoy the evening (possibly an attempt by the staff to keep the students out of the rosebushes).  
  
The long House tables were gone. Smaller tables had been set along the walls, in front of the Christmas trees, leaving the center of the floor open for dancing. There was to be one big difference this year with the Ball: last year, because they had been hosting students from Beauxbaton and Durmstrang, dinner had been served. This year, the students had eaten an early dinner before hurrying to get themselves ready. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione finally found a table that still had four empty seats, and they settled down just as Dumbledore stood up to make a small speech.  
  
He addressed the group of students, his eyes twinkling over the top of his glasses. "Welcome to your Yule Ball! We are pleased to have a ball again this year, due to numerous requests from some of our students". He smiled mischievously as several of the boys groaned loudly. "The other teachers and I hope you will all have a memorable time. And now, our band...", he finished, gesturing to the small stage, where the band, The Peculiar Pleiades, began playing. (The Weird Sisters had broken up earlier in the year when one of the sisters had decided she wanted a solo career).  
  
"Well, at least I don't have to open the Ball this year", Harry thought. He looked at Ginny, who was watching him expectantly (and blushing, of course). "Er...would you like to dance, Ginny?", he asked, with a quick glance at Ron to see how he would react to Harry dancing with his little sister. But Ron apparently hadn't even noticed; he looked like he was having an internal struggle with himself and losing badly. Ginny nodded quickly, smiling, and the two of them went to find a spot on the dance floor.  
  
Ron and Hermione sat, looking at anything and anyone besides the other. "This is nuts!", Ron told himself. "This is Hermione, one of my best friends! I shouldn't be scared to dance with her!"  
  
"Ah, but you should be!", Ron's insides replied. "This is Hermione, the girl you've been crazy about for who-knows-how-long! You were crazy about her before you even realized it! You should be plenty scared!"  
  
"Oh, shut up!", Ron said, not realizing he had spoken out loud.  
  
"What?", Hermione asked. "Did you say something, Ron?"  
  
"Umm, yeah", Ron said, blushing furiously. "Would you...maybe...like to dance?" There, he'd asked her! That would show his insides!  
  
Hermione nodded, and they stood. "This is ridiculous!", Hermione thought to herself as she followed Ron to the dance floor. "This is Ron! Why am I so nervous? I danced with Viktor last year, and I was fine!" She knew why, though. She had been falling for Ron since second year. She knew a lot of people would be surprised that she had not fallen for Harry (or for Viktor) instead. Viktor was more of a casual friend, someone to write to. And she did love Harry, but like a brother. Her feelings for Ron had surpassed that a long time ago.  
  
They found a spot, and Ron turned to her. She saw that he was flushing furiously, and this made her feel a little better. He hesitantly put his arm around her waist and took her hand in his. They danced, standing at least a foot apart, afraid to meet each other's eyes. A couple of minutes later, the first dance ended, and they applauded politely with the rest of the crowd.  
  
The second song started, another slow one, and they began to dance again. Hermione looked around and noticed that some of the older couples were dancing close, both of the girl's arms around the boy's neck, her head on his shoulder, the boy's arms around the girl's waist. "I would love to dance with Ron like that", she thought. She snuck a glance at him and saw that he was patently terrified. "You'd think I was a huge spider", she thought, almost giggling out loud. The thought made her feel more confident. Taking a deep breath, she took her hand from his and put both her arms around his neck. She stepped closer and put her head on his shoulder, hoping she was doing the right thing.  
  
Ron completely stopped moving for a full 10 seconds. Then he slowly put his free hand around her waist to join the hand that was already there. He was surprised; he had watched Hermione dance with Krum the year before, and she sure hadn't danced with him this way. Ron supposed he would have killed Krum if he had seen him holding Hermione like this, and the thought made him subconsciously pull Hermione closer. He could smell her hair and the light perfume she had put on, though he wasn't sure how he could smell anything; he surely hadn't drawn breath since she had put her arms around him.  
  
The fates were with him, and the band played several slow songs in a row. Each time, Hermione put her arms back around his neck, and he was able to pull her close again. On about the third song, he finally remembered how to breathe.  
  
The band struck up a fast song, and they left the floor to get something to drink. And, of course, they had to run into Malfoy.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Granger and Weasel", he drawled, looking smug despite wearing bright red dress robes that made him look like a devil. All he needed were the horns and the tail. "Had to come with each other because you couldn't find proper dates?"  
  
"Where's your pitchfork, Malfoy?", Ron countered. "Dropped it in the River Styx, did you?" Behind Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle snickered, obviously not understanding the joke enough to realize it was a putdown. Malfoy shut them up with a glare.  
  
"I'd talk if I were you, Weasel", Malfoy sneered. "It's a disgrace! Even as low as your family is, you're still a pure-blood! And you're out with this Mudblood!", he spat, looking comtemptuously at Hermione.  
  
Ron slammed his cup down on the table, sloshing punch everywhere. "Why, you slimy git! I'll make you pay for that!", he started, lunging at Malfoy.  
  
Hermione quickly grabbed Ron's arms, trying to restrain him. "Hey, who invited Professor Moody to the Ball?", she said loudly, looking behind Malfoy. Malfoy jumped and looked around nervously; it would be a long time before he forgot how Moody (albeit not the "real" Moody) had turned him into the Amazing Bouncing Ferret.  
  
"Let's just go," he muttered to Crabbe and Goyle. He gave Hermione and Ron one last sneer, then he hurried away with his two toadies.  
  
"Hermione!", Ron said loudly, turning to her. "Why didn't you let me hurt him?! He deserves it! I'm so sick of him, calling you names, when you're 10 times better than he is at everything!"  
  
Hermione released Ron's arms, hoping he wouldn't take off after Malfoy. "I'm sorry, Ron. But, in case you haven't noticed, there are teachers everywhere. And you're more than a match for Malfoy, but frankly, Crabbe and Goyle would kill you!"  
  
Ron took a deep breath and blew it out forcefully. He ran his hands through his hair. "Yeah, OK...." Why did Malfoy have to ruin everything?  
  
"Look, you need to calm down. Everything's fine--we just need to forget about that...'slimy git', did you call him?", Hermione asked, starting to giggle.  
  
Ron watched her giggling and started to laugh himself. "Yeah...and that was great, the way you announced that Professor Moody was here."  
  
"Did you see his face?", Hermione asked, laughing harder. "He looked like he was about to soil himself!"  
  
"I'd pay money to see that!", Ron snickered. Then he thought about it. "On second thought, no, I wouldn't", he howled, doubling over with laughter.  
  
They stood there laughing, tears streaming down their faces, while people looked at them strangely. This only made them laugh harder.  
  
Hermione got herself under control first. "I need some fresh air--let's go outside", she suggested.  
  
This sobered Ron up very quickly. "The rosebushes?", he said under his breath, starting to blush.  
  
"What?", Hermione asked, genuinely not hearing him; she wouldn't have gotten the implication anyway, seeing as how she hadn't gone out to the front lawn with Viktor. "Let's go out onto the balcony. We can still hear the music from out there. OK?"  
  
"OK", Ron said, following her to the french doors opening onto the balcony. He was surprised at himself. He was relieved she hadn't wanted to go to the front lawn, but to be truthful, he was a little disappointed. He passed Harry and Ginny on the dance floor, both of them looking very happy. They were dancing, but not the way he and Hermione had been dancing. That was good; he'd hate to have to kill his best friend tonight. 


	4. On the Balcony

Disclaimer: I'm not J. K. Rowling, therefore, I do not own anything remotely related to Harry Potter (well, except for our four copies of the Harry Potter books, and the certificate which says I've prepurchased "The Order of the Phoenix"). June 21, hurry up!  
  
A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed! And to Aly who said this fic has a nice "Rowling feel to it": Thank you so much! You made my day!  
  
Ron and Hermione stepped out onto the balcony, surprised that, even though it was Christmas, the air was pleasant and mild, with only a gentle breeze. Ron supposed that the spell that had magicked the balcony onto the Great Hall had also moderated the weather on it. The balcony had been decorated with large poinsettias and with smaller versions of the indoor Christmas trees. Holly and pine garland had been draped along the railings. A few couples were already there, some sitting on benches and talking, others dancing to the faint sounds from the band.  
  
Hermione walked over to the left-side railing, Ron following. "Oh, how lovely!", she exclaimed, looking down at the front lawn and the rose garden suffused with fairy light. It was a clear night, and she looked up from the garden to a sky filled with stars.  
  
Ron was not looking at the garden or the sky, though. He found himself unable to take his eyes off Hermione. He loved her for so many reasons: her courage, her intelligence (yes, he had found that annoying at first; now he had nothing but respect and admiration for it), her loyalty. The fact that she had become so beautiful was just icing on the cake. Now she turned to him, her eyes sparkling. "Isn't it lovely out here, Ron?", she asked him.  
  
"Beautiful", he almost whispered, looking into her eyes. She saw how he was looking at her and suddenly realized what he meant. She blushed faintly (like Harry, she was also glad she didn't blush as violently as Ron), feeling suddenly shy.  
  
Ron abruptly realized how he was staring at her, and he looked away, embarrassed. "I mean...yeah, it's a beautiful night." He sighed, sneaking a glance at her. He knew she had realized what he meant. "And you look beautiful tonight, too, Hermione." He met her eyes. "You looked pretty last year when you came with Vick...", he caught himself; he had almost said "Vicky", but didn't want to risk getting her angry. "With Viktor", he corrected himself. "But you look even more beautiful tonight", he finished, blushing furiously, but managing not to look away.  
  
"Thank you, Ron", she said quietly. She smiled. "There's a big difference this year--I'm much happier."  
  
"You are?", Ron asked, surprised. She nodded. He stepped a little closer to her. Could she possibly mean what he hoped she meant? Was she happier because she was with him? He searched her face; she was smiling gently at him, her eyes shining. He suddenly couldn't resist. He leaned toward her, and was surprised when she closed her eyes and turned her face up to his. They kissed, a gentle, lingering kiss, with nothing but their lips touching. Later, each thought that nothing could have been more perfect than that first kiss. But, right now, neither was capable of even thinking.  
  
They slowly broke apart and looked at each other, a little afraid at this turn of events. Ron was scared to death that Hermione was going to get mad at him for kissing her, and Hermione was equally terrified that he would laugh the kiss off. They could hear the band starting up a new song. "Oh, I like this song", Hermione said, more to have something to say than anything.  
  
Ron looked a little relieved. "We could dance out here...if you want", he said. She nodded and put her arms around his neck. He pulled her close, and she put her head on his shoulder. She was once again surprised at how well their heights suited each other. He was so much taller than she, yet her head rested comfortably, nestled against his shoulder and neck. She snuggled against him, glad for his support; she still felt a little weak from that kiss.  
  
Ron was convinced that even the people still in the Great Hall could hear his heart pounding. And his head was still spinning, remembering how it had felt when his lips had touched hers. Feeling a little more comfortable with her, he gently touched the hair hanging down her back, winding a curl around one finger, lost in thought. Apparently she wasn't mad at him, so maybe it was all right that he had kissed her. He had never kissed a girl before, but he thought Hermione had acted like she had wanted to kiss him, too. Then a thought occurred to him: had she kissed Viktor? He felt sick to his stomach just at the idea. It really wasn't any of his business; he shouldn't ask. But he had to.  
  
"Umm, Hermione?", he started. "This really isn't any of my business, and please don't get mad at me for asking, but I have to. Did you ever...kiss Viktor?", he finished, almost in a whisper.  
  
Hermione turned her head so that she was speaking into his ear. The feel of her breath against his neck and ear made Ron shiver. "No, I didn't." She smiled when she felt him relax. "Oh, he kissed me on the cheek a couple of times." She thought she heard Ron growl softly. "But I just never wanted to kiss him."  
  
Did that mean...? Ron stepped back from her a little and looked into her face. "Did you want to kiss me?", he asked, nervously. She nodded, meeting his eyes. Their faces were only inches apart. They forgot they were out on the balcony, surrounded by at least a dozen couples; they forgot everything except each other. Their lips slowly came together, Ron tightening his arms around Hermione's waist and pulling her close. They kissed gently for a moment, then Ron deepened the kiss, and Hermione brought one hand up to rest on the back of Ron's head, running her fingers through his hair. They were the only two people in the world, and....  
  
"Ahem! Mr. Weasley. Miss Granger."  
  
They jumped apart and turned to find Professor McGonagall standing there. "Uh, hello, Professor McGonagall", Hermione mumbled, blushing furiously (this time, she did turn as red as Ron, who looked like a red-headed overripe tomato).  
  
The head of Gryffindor house looked as though she was trying not to smile. "I think it would be wise if you joined your other classmates in the Great Hall, don't you?", she asked, looking over her glasses at them.  
  
"Um, yeah. Come on, Hermione". Ron quickly led Hermione back across the balcony and through the French doors. They stopped once they were inside and out of McGonagall's view, and Ron turned to Hermione. He saw that she had one hand over her mouth and her shoulders were shaking. "Oh no", he thought, "she's going to cry. And it's all my fault". "Hermione", he started, then stopped, surprised, when she burst into laughter.  
  
"Did you see?", she asked, giggling furiously. "She was trying not to smile! McGonagall!"  
  
Ron put his hands on his hips. "This is very unlike you, Miss Granger!", he said, teasing Hermione. "Laughing at getting in trouble! Really! What's gotten into you?", he finished, starting to laugh, too.  
  
For the second time that night, they stood laughing, while people looked at them strangely, wondering what the joke was. Still giggling, Hermione looked at Ron, noticing something. "Um, Ron...I didn't wear much lipstick tonight, but what I did wear is right....there", she said, reaching out to run a finger across his mouth. They both stopped laughing abruptly as she made contact with his lips, and they stared at each other for a moment before Ron spoke, breaking the spell.  
  
"I noticed that Harry is over by the punch bowl. I should go talk to him-- see how he and Ginny are getting along", he mumbled, backing away. He didn't trust himself not to grab Hermione and kiss her right there, and he needed to get away--quickly.  
  
"OK--I'll go talk to Ginny; she's probably in the powder room", Hermione said, also needing to get away in a hurry. "Meet me on the dance floor?", she called as Ron hurried away.  
  
"Sure", Ron called back to her.  
  
Ron walked up beside Harry and helped himself to some punch. Truth be told, he felt like he needed to dunk his whole head into the bowl. Harry regarded him with an evil grin . "Hey, Ron--do you know you have what looks like lipstick...", he started.  
  
"Yeah, yeah...", Ron mumbled, grabbing a napkin and wiping his mouth. "So...how are things going with you and Ginny? I swear, if I find so much as one thorn on your robes, Harry, you won't have to worry about You-Know- Who getting to you first", he said, only half-joking.  
  
Harry laughed. "We're getting along fine. And yes, we've just been dancing and talking. Ginny's really interesting".  
  
Ron looked doubtful. "We're talking about my little sister, right?", he asked.  
  
Harry snorted. "Yeah. So...how about you and Hermione? I didn't see you guys for a while. Wandered off, did you?", he asked, the evil grin returning.  
  
Ron blushed. "We walked out onto the balcony. It's a nice evening, you know", he said, a little defensively.  
  
Harry smiled. "Oh, yes. It's a nice evening", he said, unsuccessfully trying to hold back laughter. He patted Ron on the shoulder. "Don't worry- -I won't ask. But you better hope Seamus and Dean didn't see you two hurrying in a few minutes ago. They'll keep you up all night wanting details."  
  
Ron groaned and looked around for his other two dormmates, hoping they had been too busy with Lavender and Parvati to notice him and Hermione. He didn't see them, but he did see Hermione waiting for him on the dance floor. "Well, Hermione's waiting. And here comes Ginny. I'll see you later. Oh, and Harry", he said, turning back toward Harry. "Remember--one thorn...", he said, and turned to go dance with Hermione the rest of the evening.  
  
A/N: I think one more chapter ought to finish this. I'll try to post it in the next few days.... 


	5. After the Ball

Disclaimer: I do not own rights to the Harry Potter books or any of the characters therein. If I did, I'd already know the details of Book 5, instead of waiting impatiently for midnight tonight like everyone else.  
  
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. Real life reared its (sometimes) ugly head. This chapter will complete this fanfic. Thanks for all the reviews! I just wish I could see all of them, but for some reason, I apparently have 19 reviews and can only see 12.  
  
It was going on midnight, and the Yule Ball was over. The Gryffindors had gathered in their common room, some chattering excitedly about the ball, others (mostly boys) quietly thankful it was over. Ron and Hermione, Harry and Ginny were sitting over near the fire, talking and laughing with their other housemates. Hermione had been mildly amused to see Lavender and Parvati giving her suspicious, not-too-friendly looks--apparently, they were finally putting two and two together about what had happened to their hair earlier.  
  
The common room gradually started quieting down, as people went up to their respective dorm rooms to go to sleep. Finally, only the four friends were left. Harry had been nervous about this part of the evening all night--he needed to say good night to Ginny, but should he kiss her? Apparently Ginny was getting nervous, too. She had been very quiet for the last few minutes, and a telltale blush was starting to creep up her face. She stood up abruptly.  
  
"Well, I'd better go to bed. Good night, Ron, Hermione." She glanced at Harry and turned to walk to the steps leading up to her dorm.  
  
Harry stood, too, and with a nervous glance at Ron and Hermione (especially at Ron), he followed. Ron, sitting on the sofa facing the fire, turned completely around to watch them over the back of the couch.  
  
"Ron", Hermione said, gently.  
  
"Hm?", Ron answered without looking at her.  
  
"Ron!", Hermione said more forcefully. "Give them some privacy!"  
  
Ron finally turned to look at her. "Privacy? But it's my sister and...."  
  
"Our best friend, Harry. Remember? You can trust him. You know Ginny's been crazy about him since our first year." She smiled as Ron scowled. "She'll be good for him. He needs someone--a girlfriend--to distract him from all that's been going on. And he'll be good for her...and to her."  
  
Ron sighed. "OK, OK", he muttered, facing the fire.  
  
*~*  
  
As they reached the foot of the steps, Ginny turned to face Harry. "I had fun. Thank you for taking me to the ball", she said quietly, wishing that, just once, she could stop that stupid Weasley curse of blushing.  
  
Harry smiled. "I had fun, too. Thanks for going with me." They stood there awkwardly for a moment, not looking at each other. "What do I do now?", Harry wondered to himself. This hadn't been an issue last year because his date had ditched him before the end of the ball.  
  
"Well, good night", Ginny said, deciding that he wasn't going to kiss her. She started to turn to go up the steps, and Harry grabbed her hand. He leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the cheek, then he straightened up and looked into her eyes. Hoping he was doing the right thing (and hoping he wasn't about to be killed by his red-headed best friend), he slowly leaned back down and kissed her on the lips. They stood like that for a moment, then he gently pulled away.  
  
"Good night, Ginny". She smiled at him, and he smiled back, relieved. Still beaming, she turned and hurried up the steps, and Harry turned to rejoin his friends in front of the fire.  
  
He was happy to see that Ron apparently hadn't been spying on them, and he knew he would have to thank Hermione tomorrow for that. He stopped in front of the couch and faced them, watching Ron nervously. Ron was sitting slumped on the sofa, his arms crossed on his chest.  
  
"Kissed her goodnight, did you?", Ron grunted.  
  
"Er...yeah", he muttered, wondering if maybe Ron had been spying after all.  
  
Ron sighed, straightened up and uncrossed his arms. "All right, mate. I guess if she has to go out with someone, I'm...glad it's you", he said, fixing Harry with a warning look. "But just remember, that's my little sister. And Fred and George's little sister, too", he added.  
  
"I won't forget", Harry said, grinning at Ron. He was relieved when Ron grudgingly returned the grin. "Well, I want to get to bed", he said, yawning. "Are you two going to...stay down here for a while?", he couldn't resist adding with a mischievous look at Ron.  
  
Ron suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Umm...yeah. For a bit...I think", he said, glancing at Hermione.  
  
"Good night, Harry", Hermione said, not noticing Ron's discomfort. "I'm so happy about you and Ginny".  
  
"Yeah, me too. Good night." With a wave, Harry headed up to his dorm.  
  
"I think it's great about Harry and Ginny, don't you, Ron?", Hermione said brightly, turning to him. She was suddenly aware of what Ron had already noticed: they were completely alone in the common room. She became quiet, looking almost as uncomfortable as Ron.  
  
They sat for a bit, staring into the fire, not saying anything. Each felt acutely aware of the other and the fact that they were alone. Even when they had "forgotten" everyone else out on the balcony, they had still subconsciously known that there were others around--this was different.  
  
Ron broke the silence first. "Umm, Hermione...I want to apologize for how I acted last year. I never should have asked you to the ball as a last resort. You deserve so much better than that. And I'm sorry for how I acted at the ball last year, too. I don't blame you for going with Vick...Viktor. He realized how special you are, while I was too bloody thick to admit to myself that I had feelings for you...as a girl...and as more than my friend."  
  
Hermione smiled, her eyes shining. "Thank you, Ron. That means so much to me", she whispered, putting her hand on his arm.  
  
Ron was finally able to meet her eyes. "I guess I owe Viktor my thanks...for making me realize...so much", he trailed off, moving toward Hermione, suddenly mesmerized by her eyes as she leaned closer to him. Their lips met, gently for a moment, then with more urgency. Ron put his arms around Hermione's waist, pulling her closer as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Hermione was truly glad they were sitting down; she felt so weak she was sure she couldn't stand. She put one hand on the back of Ron's head, pulling him into a deeper kiss. They leaned back against the couch, still entrenched in a deep kiss that was quickly becoming passionate. Ron raised one hand and cupped the side of Hermione's face. He pulled back for a moment to catch his breath. "Oh, God, Hermione, I love you", he whispered, not realizing he had been about to say it.  
  
"What? Ron, what did you say?", Hermione sat back a little and looked at him, sure she had heard him right, afraid she hadn't.  
  
For a moment, Ron wasn't sure what he had said, he had been so caught up in that kiss. He looked stricken as he suddenly realized. "Um...well", he stammered. "I said....I love you", he whispered, looking up and meeting her eyes. "I just didn't mean to say it this soon."  
  
Hermione searched his face, tears coming into her eyes. She knew him well enough to know he meant it. Ron, seeing her tears, got the wrong idea.  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione. Yes, I love you, but if you don't feel the same way..." She interrupted him by grabbing him in a tight hug.  
  
"Don't you dare feel sorry for saying that you love me!", she whispered fiercely in his ear. "Because I love you, too!", she finished, crying openly now.  
  
"You do?", Ron breathed, not quite daring to believe it.  
  
She pulled back from him and looked into his eyes. "Yes", she nodded. She smiled at the surprise on his face. "Why are you so surprised? Ron Weasley, you really can be thick sometimes!", she teased, wiping tears from her face.  
  
"I guess I'm just surprised because you picked...me", he said. "I mean...you could have had Viktor Krum...he's an international Quidditch player. You know he'll be wealthy someday".  
  
Hermione put her hands on her hips and glared mildly at Ron. "You know those kinds of things mean nothing to me", she huffed.  
  
"I know, but still...and you could have fallen for Harry. He's the bloody hero of our world, for crying out loud..."  
  
"And I don't envy him that honor, poor Harry. Besides, I do love Harry...like a brother", she quickly added, seeing a mild look of alarm on Ron's face.  
  
"But you love me, like....?", Ron asked.  
  
"Like this". She put her arms around his neck again and pulled him close, kissing him passionately. This time it was Ron who was glad they were sitting down. He moaned softly as she lightly ran her fingertips across the nape of his neck and up into his hair. Hermione broke the kiss and looked into his face. "Now would I kiss my brother like that?", she asked, grinning.  
  
Ron, still mildly flustered from that kiss, said, "I don't know, but he'd be one lucky bloke." He smiled at Hermione's laughter. Looking into each other's eyes, they suddenly turned serious. They met in another kiss, this one much less frenzied than before, more loving and content.  
  
"Mr. Weasley! Miss Granger!" They jumped apart, expecting to see Professor McGonagall again. They turned to see....Harry, smiling mischievously, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Harry, you great prat!", Ron yelled, hurling a small pillow at him. Harry ducked and burst out laughing.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I just couldn't resist! And you must admit, I did a remarkable impression of McGonagall", he laughed, walking over to the couch. Ron and Hermione, getting over their initial shock, were finally able to smile weakly.  
  
Harry was still dressed in the robes he had worn to the ball. "I thought you were going to bed", Ron said.  
  
"I sat down and started a letter to Sirius", Harry said, quietly saying the name of his godfather, "and now I'm hungry. I came down to see if you two wanted to sneak down to the kitchens for a snack. But if you're otherwise engaged..." he finished, breaking into a grin.  
  
"Harry, don't you think those poor house elves have had enough to do tonight without feeding us, too?", Hermione said, putting her hands on her hips. "I mean..."  
  
Ron interrupted her. "Come on, Hermione, you know the house elves love taking care of us. They like work!" he added, shaking his head at the thought of anyone liking work. "Besides, I'm hungry."  
  
Harry snickered. "Yeah, it looked like you were working up an appetite..."  
  
Ron glared at him. "And that's enough out of you!" Harry managed to quit chuckling, knowing that Ron wasn't really mad. But he decided to drop the subject of their snogging on the couch...for a while.  
  
With a sigh, Hermione stood up. "OK, let's go", she said, starting toward the portrait hole. "You better hope we don't get caught, Harry. The three of us can't fit under your invisibility cloak anymore."  
  
"We'll be careful, Hermione", Harry said, following her across the room. Ron came along behind him, picking at Harry's robes and looking at them closely.  
  
"Ron, what are you doing?", Harry asked, somewhat exasperated.  
  
"Looking for thorns....." 


End file.
